Chapter Fifty-Four: Peril

Midway up the towering Skycrest Peak, two shadows raced swiftly toward the summit.

Letting Jackal go find Elder Lin was, without question, the best option—the one that would give Liu Pan the most peace of mind. Yet Jackal remained unmoved, snatching Liu Kuang from Liu Pan’s back and insisting on helping him. This stubbornness truly exasperated Liu Pan.

Though filled with irritation, Liu Pan found himself helpless. He could not fathom what Jackal was thinking, nor did he know how to persuade him to leave.

When Jackal grabbed Liu Kuang from his back, Liu Pan’s injuries made it impossible to snatch him back. Even if he wished to, he was no match for Jackal’s speed.

Thus, unwilling to waste precious time, Liu Pan had no choice but to compromise and let Jackal help, though “help” in this case seemed more a burden than a blessing. For the moment, he could think of no other way to convince Jackal.

The old man from the Hall of Techniques possessed strength on par with the master of the Sunburst Sect, yet to escape the sect safely with three people in tow was no easy feat.

At this moment, Liu Pan’s hopes lay with Elder Lin of the Medicine Peak. If Elder Lin learned of Li Liao’s death before Yang Jiangshui and the other elders, perhaps they could still escape the sect unharmed.

But the hope that Elder Lin would hear the news before anyone else was a beautiful fantasy, unrealistic to Liu Pan’s discerning mind. After all, Medicine Peak was simply too far away.

The site of Li Liao’s death lay at the foot of the mountain that housed the Outer Hall. Therefore, Elder Bai, who managed the Outer Hall, was the first to receive news of Li Liao’s demise.

“What? Li Liao is dead?”

Elder Bai was stunned upon hearing the news, but after a brief silence, he merely waved his hand and said, “Very well, I understand. You may go.”

His calm demeanor left the messenger disciple momentarily bewildered, but he dared not question further. Bowing, he withdrew quietly.

Once the messenger had departed, Elder Bai exhaled, a strange glimmer lighting his eyes, and a satisfied smile curled his lips. He muttered, “Heh, dead? Good riddance! Scum like him should have been gone long ago. All that nonsense about doing it for the sect—let’s see what you do now!”

Though his voice was low, the sense of relief was unmistakable.

Elder Bai, once a disciple of the Sunburst Sect himself, had never risen high in rank. His tenure managing the Outer Hall was brief, and to be honest, the only reason he received the post was because his predecessor had died under mysterious circumstances.

Shortly after taking over, he detected something “wrong” with Li Liao.

Realizing this, he sought out Yang Jiangshui on Sunburst Peak. Through subtle hints, Yang made it clear that Li Liao’s actions were being “tolerated”—a revelation that shocked and terrified Elder Bai.

He immediately thought of his predecessor in the Outer Hall—perhaps that elder had fallen victim to the sect’s hidden darkness.

Yang Jiangshui’s justification was for the future of the sect.

Elder Bai found Yang’s reasoning contemptible. Yet, lacking strength and any sense of security beneath this shadowy conspiracy, he dared not speak the truth to anyone and buried the secret deep within. For his own safety, he even pretended to ally himself with Li Liao.

In the years that followed, disciples died “accidentally” from time to time, and even two elders vanished inexplicably. Knowing the truth, Elder Bai lived under immense pressure, yet was powerless to act.

He considered leaving the Sunburst Sect, but understood that with the secrets he carried, he would not make it far before someone silenced him. As for confiding in other elders, that would be suicide; regardless of what they knew, the mere act of speaking out would eventually reach Yang Jiangshui’s ears. And then? Yang would not let him live long.

Thus, the secret weighed on him, suffocating his spirit. He thought that perhaps once Li Liao advanced to a mid-level Spirit Array Master, he could finally let go of this dark secret—but he had never imagined that news of Li Liao’s sudden death would arrive one day. For him, it was a liberation.

As for Liu Pan and Liu Kuang, who had joined forces to slay Li Liao, Elder Bai knew they, too, harbored secrets. Perhaps Liu Kuang even possessed a spirit weapon. Yet Elder Bai had no desire to cause them trouble; deep down, he was grateful. It was they who had wiped out the sect’s shadow, granting him freedom.

Moreover, there was another reason he would not trouble Liu Pan and Liu Kuang. Even if he raced to intercept them and seized the spirit weapon or any other treasures, he wouldn’t be able to keep them. With only third-rank Martial Master strength, he could not possibly contend with Yang Jiangshui, who had attained martial perfection.

Why make a wedding dress for someone else? In his eyes, Liu Pan and Liu Kuang would inevitably fall into Yang Jiangshui’s hands.

News of Li Liao’s death spread rapidly through the Sunburst Sect. Yet what puzzled the messenger disciples was the indifference of the elders on the peaks surrounding Li Liao’s residence on Moonclear Peak. Some even seemed elated, leaving the messengers thoroughly mystified.

At last, Yang Jiangshui of Sunburst Peak exploded in fury and soared into the sky on his sword, heading straight for Skycrest Peak.

At Skycrest Peak, the Hall of Techniques was already in sight, and Liu Pan allowed himself a slight sigh of relief. But in that very instant, his heart sank—he had just sensed Yang Jiangshui’s presence.

The moment Yang Jiangshui heard of Li Liao’s death, he was consumed with rage.

He had nurtured that Spirit Array Master for years, paid so much, only for someone to kill him. The loss was intolerable.

Blinded by fury, and learning that Liu Pan and the others were fleeing toward Skycrest Peak, Yang Jiangshui did not hesitate—he mounted his sword and sped in pursuit.

Only one thought burned in his mind: butcher those two wretches who had slain Li Liao.

As he reached Skycrest Peak, he immediately spotted two figures racing toward the Hall of Techniques. Frowning slightly, he pressed his attack, sword flying downwards.

The instant Liu Pan sensed Yang Jiangshui diving toward them, his expression changed drastically. They were still four hundred meters from the Hall of Techniques, and only after entering the outer three hundred meters would the old man there possibly notice them.

But a hundred meters at Yang Jiangshui’s sword-flying speed was nothing—Liu Pan and Jackal would have no chance to outrun him.

Liu Pan felt utterly helpless. He had never expected Yang Jiangshui to arrive so quickly, catching him completely off guard. In this moment, his mind was blank for solutions; all he could do was cast his gaze toward Jackal’s back, where Liu Kuang’s hand gripped the Great Wilderness Blade in mute resignation.